Reinforced angle-bar for rail-joints.



No. 858,774. PATENTED JULY 2,1907.

, B. WOLHAUPTER. REINFORCED ANGLE BAR FOR RAIL JOINTS.

' A1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIII 013.6, 1906.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE. H

BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,'AssIeNOR To THE RAIL JO NTooMPANY, OF

- NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REEINEORCED ANGLE-BAR FOR RAIL-JOINTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed October 6, 1906. Serial'llo. 837,745.

To all whom it may concern; Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER, acitizen of the United States, residing at New York city; in the countyofNew Yorkand State of New York, have gnvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Reinforced Angle-Bars for Rail-Joints, of which-thefollowing is a specification.

' This invention relates to the art of rail joints, and has specialreference to an improved construction of angle bar of thetype commonlytermed splice bars. To this end the invention has for its main andprimary object .a simple, practical, and thoroughly eflicient'angle barof reinforced construction, and co-operl tions of supporting andtrussing the rail end'siat the' most effective points, while at the sametime preserving a minimum amount of material.

ating with the rail ends in such a manner as to provide a rail joint ofmaximum strength and efliciency. At the same time, the improved anglebars may be applied with all the facility and readiness of theconventional forms of splice bars or fish plates, and not interfere inthe least with the tamping of the road bed.

A special object of the invention is to construct the reinforced'anglebar along practical I engineering lines that will secure, in the mosteffective manner, the fundin the formation of the bar, the maximumstrength with Also, inthis connection, an important feature of theinvention resides in providing areinforced angle barpossessingexceptional strength and a powerful truss ing action withoutsacrificing any of then ece ssary qualities of proper. weight andrigidity, and sufficient resiliency.-

With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear to thosefamiliar with the art, as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the sameconsists in the novel construction, combinationandarrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated andclaimed. I

The essential feature of the invention involved in the practical andeffective combination of several mechan ical details of-constructiom'issusceptible to inodifica-- tio n Without departing from the scope' ofthe invention,

'but certain preferred embodiments of the latter areshown in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a sectional perspectiveview embodying equipped with the improved angle bars. Fig; Sis a crosssectional view on the line3-3 of Fig-'2. 'fFig. .4

lar view of another modification illustrative of another supportingsecures one of the practical andimportant [cabins of that type of railjoints known to railroad engineers as angle bar, thereby causing thesame to rupture or buckle under the deflecting pressure of the load.

carrying out the invention no change is required in the general featuresOflJlIQ rail joint, so a rail joint embodying the present invention maysimply comprise the adjoining rail ends AA, the opposite side angle bars1-1, and thejoint bolts b passing through the alined bolt holes in theangleb'ars and the rails, said angle bars also having suitably arrangedspike-notches S.

In the form of rail joint illustrated in the'drawings,

the opposite side angle bars 1 are of duplicate design,-

and both embody the niechanicalimprovements form ing the subjectmatteroi'the present invention. Each of saidbars 1 is formed by the usualrolling; shearing and setting up processes usually employed in themanufacture of rail joint angle bars, though'the peculiar design of theimproved reinforced angle bar necessarily requires certain modifications=of these. processes, which,-'however,-form no part of the presentinvention and are not claimed herein.

Referring in detail to the design of each angle bar 1, it will beobservedthat the same essentially consists of a main straight splice-barportion 2. fitting in the angle or channel ofthe. rail ends, extendingacross the joint, and overlying the rail ties 'l supporting the rails.

The main splicebar portion 2 of each angle bar is form ed 'atits. topedge with a thickened or flanged bearing head 3 whose inclined faceabuts against the under inclined face of the rail head. At itsloweredge, the main bar portion of the angle bar is formed with a footflange 4 fitting snug against the upper inclinedhearing. 5 of the railbase 6, and. a distinctive feature 02 the present invention rwidesinforming the foot flange 4 withs horizontally oil-set resilient ioldedrail clasp 7. This rail clasp is an integral part olthe angle bar, and

its

projects a distance beyond the adjacent edge of the rail joint. Thisfunction of the clasp is also aided by forming the/same at the underside of its upper leg with a clearance flat 9 disposed at an obtuseangle to the inclined bearing face of the foot flange 4, and lying clearfrom and above the outer portion of the upper bearing face 5 oi'the railflange. It will be observed that the resilient clasp 7 projects from thecentral part of the bar in the vertical plane of the joint between therail ends. This is provided for by shearing off the lower edge portionsof the bar, inward from the ends thereof along the shearing lines 10 tothe point where an intermediate flange is leit to form the clasp 7 andthe integral elements directly associated therewith; said flange and itsrelated elements being designed to. lie in the space between the railties T. i p

By reason oi the horizontally o'iiset'disposition of the clasp 7, thelower leg thereof (designated by the number 11) is designed to extendbeneath the rail base, and is formed on its upper side with abasesupporting shoulder 12 adapted to be held in firm trussing Contactwith the rail base, and to bridge the joint ofthe rails. An importantfeature of this connection is to make the base supporting'shoulder 12 ofgreater width than the upper clearing flat 9 so that the inner edge ofsaid shoulder 12 is disposed well toward the center line of the rails,and inside of the vertical plane of the point where the flat 9 leavesthe rail flange. Another important feature or.

that as the rail flange enters the space within the cli isp,.

the leg 11, having the shoulder 12, will open out and give the railflange a bearing. This action is permitted by reason of the flexibilityof the angle bar at 7, an the construction referred to allows fordifferent thicknesses of rail flanges and gives them all a support onthe shoulder 12.

Another important detail is the formation of the angle bar with apendent stiffening girder or flange 13 formed integrally with the loweredge 11 of the clasp 7, and

substantial]; coextensive with such clasp. This stif"- ening girderreinforces and stiffens the base support 1112 for the rail and assistsin holding the shoulder 12 firmly trussed-up against the rail base. Atthe same time, this trussing action is further aided through the actionor the resilient rail clasp .7 which necessarily has somewhat ofa'wedging action when drawn over the rail flange by the tightening ofthe bolts. Also,

the resiliency of the clasp 7 adapts the same to any variations .in thethickness of rail flanges.

in a preferred form of construction shown in Fig.

3 the stiff and is preferably strengthened vertically and laterally byformin the saine at the inner side of its lower edge with a continuousreinforcerib 145 The-important rig girder 13 is disposed in a verticalplane,

functions described are not only preserved in connection with theconstruction shown in Fig. 3, but also in connection with any practicalmodification which retains the feature of the additional bearing supportfor the rail base on top of a stiffening girder which lies between thetics. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the stiffening girder designatedby the number 15, is disposed inwardly at an oblique angle; while, asshown in Fig. 5, the girder designated by the number 16 may be disposedperpendicularly in the vertical plancof the bight of the clasp 7, andthe lower leg of such clasp offset inwardly from the girder to providethe extended base supporting shoulder 12 reicrred to.

1. An angle bar for rail joints provided intermediate its ends'with anofi'set resilient rail clasp, a pendent stiffening girder, and anextended base-supporting shoulder located a f the top of the girder.

Au angle bar for rail joints provided with an intermediate bottomextension comprising a resilient folded rail clasp ofl'sct from the footflange of the bar and pro vidcd at the upper side of its lower leg: wifhan extended base supporting shoulder. tho-said lower lop of the claspbeing further provided with a pendent stiffening girder.

3. An angle bar [or rail joiiifs provided wifh an inlcrmediate bottomexicusion comprising a resilient folded rail clasp ofl'sei from the footflange of the bar and provided at the under side of its upper leg wlrh aclearance flat and at the upper side of its lower 10;: with aucxtendedbase supporting shoulder, the said lower leg of the clasp being furtherprovided wiib a pcudonf: sfillcn' ing girder.

4. An angle bar for rail joints provided with an intermediate bottomextension comprising a resilient folded rail clasp ofiset from the footflange of the bar and provided at the under side of its upper leg withclearance fiat and at the upper side of its lower leg with an extendedbase supporting shoulder of greater width than said flat, the said lowerleg of the clasp being further provided with a pendent stiffeninggirder.

5-. In a rail joint, the rail ends, and the side angle bflrs providedcentrally between their ends with a' bottom ex: tension lying betweenthe tics and having a resilient rail clasp embracing the rail flange, apendent stiffening girder, and an extended base-supporting shoulderlocated at the top of the girder and held against the rail base.

snugly fitting against the rail base from the edge of its flange to apoint inside of the vertical plane of the point where the clearance flatleaves the bearing face of the rail flange.

' 7, In a rail joint. the rail ends, and the side angle bnrs eachprovided centrally between theiiwends with a liorlzontelly. oifsehresilient folded mil clasp embracing the rail flange and having an openhigh; space beyond the edge-of the rail flange, an upper clearance fiatoverlying the outerportion of the upper bearing face of the rail flange,said clasp, being further provided on its lower leg with an extendedbase supporting shoulder and a stiffening girder pendent from saidshoulder portion, the said base supporting. shoulder snugly fittingagninst the rail base from iheedge of its flange to a point inside 0!the vertical plane of the point where the clearance flat I 'le'avesthebea'ring face or the rail flange.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature i the presence of twowitnesses.

BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER. Witnesses:

F. SCHXRMEEHOKN. W. '1. Summer.

